Error message: The 'inputs.parameters' of workflow operation 'Update_item' of type 'OpenApiConnection' is not valid. Error details: Input parameter 'item' is required to be of type 'Number/double'.

[st6132]

Hi there,

I'm building a flow using MS Form to create items in a list and then a second MS Form to update that same item.

The flow works, but when filling out the second form to update the item, if there are any blank answers in that form I am getting the captioned error message and the flow fails completely.

Have tried using the following expression:

if(equals(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/r2ee19065dad547a58dcb8fe1f97741b4'],''),null,outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/r2ee19065dad547a58dcb8fe1f97741b4'])

This lets the flow finish and it does update the list with the new data. However, for those questions in the second form which are left blank, it now overrides the old data I want to keep with a blank, which I don't want!

Would appreciate any assistance.

Thank you!

[creativeopinion]

@st6132 Checking to see if an item is empty vs if it has a null value are two different things. Your expression needs to check if the answer is empty not if it's equal to null.

You might also be interested in a new YT Tutorial I recently uploaded: How to Get a Microsoft Form RSVP Response into a SharePoint List

I cover the following in this video tutorial:

✅ How to get a Microsoft Form Response into SharePoint

✅ How to get a Microsoft Form ID

✅ How to get a Microsoft Form response

✅ How to Build a Microsoft Form with Conditional Fields

✅ How to used Branching in Microsoft Forms

✅ How to format Microsoft Form multiple choice responses for a SharePoint multi-choice column

✅ How to parse a Microsoft Form multiple choice response as string of text

✅ How to convert a text response to a number

✅ How to use the Switch action

✅ How to create a custom email confirmation for a Microsoft Form submission

✅ How to Create a Custom View in a SharePoint list

✅ How to use the Compose Action

✅ How to write Power Automate Expressions

Troubleshooting Tips

To illustrate the difference I've used a Condition action in my screenshots below. In the first example, I'm using the condition check to see if the value is equal to null. This is essentially what your expression is doing.

I've left the field (choice option) unselected. The output is empty. The Condition result is false.

In this second example, I've adjusted the condition so it checks to see if the field (choice option) is empty. The Condition results is true.

Adjust the Expression

Use the empty() function. 

Click on the Dynamic content tab and insert the field dynamic content from your form response.

Run a test.

Wrap your expression in the if() function. Insert if with an opening parenthesis at the start of your expression.

Go to the end of the expression by pressing the down arrow key and enter a comma and null. This will be your true value. 

Add another comma and insert the field dynamic content for the false value. Don't forget to add a closing parenthesis.

Run a test.

Hope this helps!

If I helped you solve your problem—please mark my post as a solution ✅.
Consider giving me a 👍 if you liked my response!

👉 Watch my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok

For more flow troubleshooting tips—check out This YT Tutorial: 5 Power Automate Troubleshooting FAQs and Helpful Tips for Creating Better Flows

In this tutorial I cover:

✅ How to troubleshoot a false Condition action result

✅ How to get dynamic content when it isn’t selectable from the list of dynamic content

✅ How to troubleshoot an Apply to Each action that isn’t looping through

✅ How to troubleshoot a skipped Apply to Each action

✅ How to troubleshoot a Filter Query

✅ How to use a SharePoint yes/no column in a Filter Query

✅ How to use Compose actions to troubleshoot a Power Automate flow

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple emails being sent

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple Teams messages being sent

[st6132]

Thanks. And this is helpful. 

The issue is when I use the empty() expression if there is any blank answers in the second form, it overrides the info collected in the first form with a blank. So I lose the old data. 

i want the flow to update the list with new data only. when question is left blank I want the flow to just move on and leave the old data (collected from the first form). 

apologies, I know I’m not explaining this particularly well.  

essentially, form 1 asks 10 questions. Form 2 asks the same 10 questions, allowing for changes in answers. If the answers are the same, the question in form 2 are left blank. However, the current flow overrides the data with blanks if any questions in form 2 are left unanswered. I don’t want this to happen. 

many thanks for all of your help. 

[creativeopinion]

@st6132 Apologies, the logic of how you wanted to handle the blank answers from your form were not clear in your initial post. The issue isn't the empty() function in the expression as the empty() function checks to see if the MS Form response is empty. This function doesn't return an empty value. The if() function is what you need to modify. The if() function takes three parameters:

if([condition true/false],[true value],[false value])

Get Item

You will need to add a Get Item action before you add an Update Item action to your flow. You will need this action to get the dynamic content already in the SharePoint list item.

Compose Content

For each of your questions in your form, I would recommend creating a Compose action to store the expressions. It'll be a lot easier to test out your flow this way and you can reference the output in the Update Item action.

Start with one first. I would recommend renaming your actions to keep your flow organized otherwise it'll make it really difficult to determine which Compose action belongs to which question in your form.

You need to adjust your original expression. Replace the null value. The null is what the expression will return if the MS Form Response is empty. 

Instead, you will want to insert the dynamic content from the Get Item action. In my case I'm just using a Single Line Text field column for demo purposes.

Run a test. My MS Form field was left blank, so the output of the Compose action is the existing text from the SP List item.

Use a Scope Action

I would also recommend using a Scope action to group your Compose actions together. This way you can quickly collapse all of your Compose actions with a single click. It'll also take up less vertical space in your flow.

Important: Before moving onto the next step. Test, test, test! Test the flow until the Compose actions are all outputting what you expect. There is no point in moving onto the next step if your expressions are incorrect.

Update Item

You do not need to use a Condition action in your case as nesting multiple condition actions inside each other is inefficient. Since you are using an expression to essentially set the value for each field (column) in your SharePoint list, the condition action isn't required.

In your Update Item action, insure that you are using the ID dynamic content from the Get Item action. 

Use the Output from the appropriate Compose action in your Update Item action. See why it's important to rename your actions? It makes it easier to identify which Compose action belongs to which question.

Hope this helps.